ABS???

[Brian ROSEN]

ABS

"I'd rather have normal brakes," Yes, that is the whole point. So long as you can brake as hard/quickly as everyone else - and whether you llike it or not 'normal brakes' on most vehicules nowadays are discs + servo + ABS.
If you can concentrate 100% of the time, are very experienced and never make mistakes you can possibly manage with SUBNORMAL brkes - most of the time!

 

[luckylucian]

thanks everyone, I think i am on the 'Don't want it' list.
I'd rather have normal brakes, good tyres & suspension.

Yup, you get those on the ABS model too.

Lets say you are a braking guru, and can panic apply the brakes to the maximum the road conditions allow - the ABS will sit silently there and let you carry on.

BUT....... lets say a wayward truck has spilled some diesel in a line across your path, as the car in front blocks your view, this slick becomes apparent too late after the car has passed over it, in that nanosecond you may fail to release and reapply the brakes upon reaching the slick. Then the ABS kicks in allowing you to stay upright

.....and not plough into the subaru I was stupidly racing.

It will only be worth the money if something completely unexpected happens to you when riding, its part of the reason I'm back with ABS again

 

[Geeves]

Yup, you get those on the ABS model too.

Lets say you are a braking guru, and can panic apply the brakes to the maximum the road conditions allow - the ABS will sit silently there and let you carry on.

BUT....... lets say a wayward truck has spilled some diesel in a line across your path, as the car in front blocks your view, this slick becomes apparent too late after the car has passed over it, in that nanosecond you may fail to release and reapply the brakes upon reaching the slick. Then the ABS kicks in allowing you to stay upright

.....and not plough into the subaru I was stupidly racing.

It will only be worth the money if something completely unexpected happens to you when riding, its part of the reason I'm back with ABS again

I can fully understand your view. this saturday, driving my VR6 Corrado with ABS driving along in 2 way traffic at 25mph in Cambridge when from behind an oncomming bus popped the front of a Pug 406 turning round as the oncomming car behind the bus let him out of his parking space. noone could have stopped. it was just there in a flash and too close to stop.
i was just pleased i was in my car as i just have a stiff shoulder and neck, where as if i was on one of my bikes i'd have been a lot worse.

 

[Engineer]

Yup, you get those on the ABS model too.

Lets say you are a braking guru, and can panic apply the brakes to the maximum the road conditions allow - the ABS will sit silently there and let you carry on.

BUT....... lets say a wayward truck has spilled some diesel in a line across your path, as the car in front blocks your view, this slick becomes apparent too late after the car has passed over it, in that nanosecond you may fail to release and reapply the brakes upon reaching the slick. Then the ABS kicks in allowing you to stay upright

.....and not plough into the subaru I was stupidly racing.

It will only be worth the money if something completely unexpected happens to you when riding, its part of the reason I'm back with ABS again

What if?... What if?........ yes, you are right, it might just happen one day.

Equally, the ABS might just glitch one day and cause you an even bigger problem.

 

[Hawk]

Help!
I want to buy a 2008 gsa but im not sure about the ABS!
your views and thoughts most welcome.

IMO - Have you ever locked up your front tyre? Get it.
Are you skint? Don't get it.
Wish you had it that one time it saves you? Get it.
Are you Casey Stoner? Don't get it.
In the end it's purely a personal thing, but when it came to getting my GS I wanted it. And that's me, who previously wouldn't have wanted it on any other bike I owned.
Up to you mate

 

[davedyer]

I can say that, following an incident just before Christmas, had I not had ABS I wouldn't be here to post this reply.

Go wrong? Had a 12 year old Volvo with ABS - no problems.
A 9 year old Pan European with ABS - no problem.

It's a no-brainer: get it!

 

[Brian ROSEN]

It is called progress

"....In the end it's purely a personal thing, but when...." Soon you will have no choice because all bikes will have ABS. Just as now virtually all bikes have rear suspension, disc brakes, batteries, LH foot foot gear chnages, 2 independant braking systems, speedometers, ignition cut off switches, electric starters, indicators, clocks etc.etc; and NONE of those is essential and you can be sure that they were all considered new fangled complications by some.

 

[Engineer]

If you want ABS and have more than one bike - then make sure that they BOTH have it.

If you don't, then one day you will be riding the non-abs machine; have to do an emergency stop; you WILL forget that this one doesn't have abs and end up on your ar*se!

This is another reason why jumping on the abs band-wagon without careful consideration is folly.

 

[STUNICS]

Did you know an ABS system is 7% less efficient in the dry due to the wheel release! Thats why I chose not to have it on my 07' GSA.

I also drive slower in the wet!

 

[Hawk]

Did you know an ABS system is 7% less efficient in the dry due to the wheel release! Thats why I chose not to have it on my 07' GSA


But.... doesn't this assumes that riders have the ability and confidence to brake at 100% when they're in situation where ABS would be most useful ie unexpectedly?

ABS is either a must have or can't stand it seems. Anyway, as someone else said, if you have it, you can always turn it off

 

[Packer]

I have ABS with servo's on my 03 1150GS with 40,000 miles all put on by me. Returning from a twenty year break from biking it seemed like a good idea.

Once on a longish wet cold night ride, London to Weymouth, I misinterpreted what I was seeing at road works until it was almost too late. Hard braking caused the front wheel ABS to function. It may have saved me from a low speed drop as I had already brought the speed down from around 70 to less than 20mph without a problem.

Without it my ability to use cadence braking may have been good enough but I was glad that the ABS was there!

Towards the end of last year I was out on a 1200GS with ABS. After a brief stop the brake failure warning light came on. I gently applied the brakes and they worked. A couple more applications quite hard and they still worked fine so I carried on my ride. A few miles later I was braking hard from high speed and the front wheel locked up and stepped out to the right by what felt like a huge amount but was probably only a few millimetres! The brakes per se had not failed, the ABS had.

I released the lever by reflex and reapplied the brakes bringing the bike to a safe stop. I may not have been so lucky or quick enough to save it on another day, especially as being past 50 reflexes aren't what they were.

Having deliberately provoked the ABS on my own 1150 in the name of research it's bloody scary when it cuts in as all it is really doing is releasing the brakes and re-applying them, just a mechanical way of saying you're braking too hard for the available traction.

Lastly with cars there are (usually) four wheels and the ABS can monitor the relative deceleration of each. Of course on the bike there are only two wheels so I believe that the system on cars is less likely to be over enthusiastic and unnecessarily intrusive. Many cars will out-brake a bike even without ABS as they simply have far more rubber on the road. Various tests in the press have confirmed this.

I probably won't opt for ABS on my next machine assuming of course that it's still an option.

 

[TheStig]

I initially ordered my GSA without it but after much consideration and the dealer asking me for an additional £500 depoist as he quoted " He didn't want to be left with an unsellable bike if I pull out ".. I decided to add it .. As many have said its only an additonal £800 .. If it saves me once then thats enough for me ..

Cheers

Steve

 

[Phil Clarke]

I think if you have ABS, you ride like you've got abs and so tend to leave braking later, take less care of the road surface and ride closer to traffic in front. thats what I'v efound when in my cage and ABS will allow you to do this safely (within reason). If you don't have ABS then, again, you ride accordingly - leave more space, be more aware of road surfaces etc. etc. I've ridden sans ABS for many years so I'm used to it and ride accordingly. If you are new to bikes then it may be a better idea. So I think it actually comes down to how you want to ride. I don't beleive the argumaent of 'you never know when you might need it' holds true - there will always be a chance of sh** happening.

For me it was £800 too much and I wasn't interested in trade in values plus all the hassles with the servo system put me off (no ABS is safer than no brakes). If I got another GS I'd maybe consider it harder as the new system seems more reliable.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Stig

You`re dealer needs a retrain in his selling techniques!!! I can`t believe he thought a GS without ABS is unsellable.

My 07 spec GSA has no servo`s and ABS and the brakes are superb. I`ve only been in one situation where it may of helped. A transit decided to turn right whilst I was lining up an overtake Hit the lot, back end locked up but stayed straight so I eased of the rear brake and the bike stopped with no drama so I have huge confidence in them.

I`m sure there are situations where it helps but I`m very happy with my choice and I really don`t think it will affect the resale value

 

[Engineer]

...........the dealer asking me for an additional £500 depoist as he quoted " He didn't want to be left with an unsellable bike if I pull out ".. I........

Steve

He saw you coming didn't he....

 

[Geeves]

He saw you coming didn't he....

I'd have slammed the brakes on.

 

[Hawk]

Stig
You`re dealer needs a retrain in his selling techniques!!! I can`t believe he thought a GS without ABS is unsellable.

Friend of mine tried to sell his 06 GSA last year. Every one who rang up asked if it had ABS. Most put the phone down when he said no.
They're not unsellable - I just think most peolpe want one with ABS these days.
Oh, and the dealer will probably make a few quid out of it too, as someone else pointed out. But doesn't everyone who sells ad-ons?

 

[Hawk]

I think if you have ABS, you ride like you've got abs and so tend to leave braking later, take less care of the road surface and ride closer to traffic in front. thats what I'v efound when in my cage and ABS will allow you to do this safely (within reason). If you don't have ABS then, again, you ride accordingly - leave more space, be more aware of road surfaces etc. etc.

I appreciate what you're saying but... personally I don't ride assuming my ABS is going to compensate for an aggressive riding style, such as riding too close to those in front. I always try to ride defensively, for me, ABS is a back up. It doesn't alter the way I ride.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

...."I think if you have ABS, you ride like you've got abs and so tend to leave braking later,....etc.etc; and disc brakes - and high performance tyres - and hydraulics instead of cables and .... what about the poor chap following? he must leave a longer and longer gap as progress continues without him.

 

[TheStig]

FYI .. The sales guy put no pressure on me at all .. I placed the order without ABS !! later when he asked for the deposit he said his manager has asked for a £1000 deposit because I hadn't opted for ABS !! I wasn't happy about this and gave him the silent treatment !!! He then said I quote "If you tell me your going to walk away from the sale unless I accept a £500 deposit.. Then I'm sure we will except 500 ". So I gave him the £500 and thought about it for a couple of days .. Also posted a similar question on the forum and the consensus was ABS was worth having. So as a result I changed my order ..

So engineer I disagree that the sales guy saw me coming .. !!

Cheers

Steve